Charlotte to host Copa America matches in July 2024

TROY HULL | THE CHARLOTTE POST

The United States, which played in the Concacaf Gold Cup in Charlotte in July, could make a return trip to Bank of America Stadium when it hosts CONMEBOL Copa America in July 2024.

More international soccer competition is coming to Charlotte in 2024.

CONMEBOL, the sport’s governing body in South America, named Bank of America Stadium a host venue for Copa America’s semifinal on July 10 and the third-place playoff on July 13. Copa is the continent’s championship tournament and includes global powers Argentina, Brazil and Colombia.

Copa America’s 16-team field will compete in the U.S. with 10 CONMEBOL sides and six Concacaf guest teams who qualified through the Nations League 2023-24. The Concacaf teams are the United States, Jamaica, Mexico, and Panama. A pair of Concacaf sides will be added after play-in matches between Canada and Trinidad and Tobago and Costa Rica against Honduras on March 23.

The tournament draw will be held on Dec. 7 in Miami with one team from each of four pots drawn into a group of four with the top two teams in each group advancing to the knockout rounds. The U.S. is in Pot A with Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico.

“It’s an incredible honor for Bank of America Stadium, and Charlotte, North Carolina, to be selected as a host city for CONMEBOL Copa America 2024,” Charlotte FC President Joe LaBue said in a statement. “It speaks volumes about our city, our fanbase and the greater Carolinas community that CONMEBOL chose our home as the site of two monumental matches in the international game.”

The CONMEBOL tournament is the latest international tournament drawn to Charlotte. In 2023, three matches, including the Concacaf Gold Cup with the U.S. national team and a July Leagues Cup game with Charlotte FC exceeded 60,000 in attendance, as did the Oct. 21 Charlotte FC-Inter Miami match. Two more Charlotte FC games topped the 40,000 mark, including an exhibition between Mexico and Ghana.

Teams that have won 10 FIFA World Cup titles will play 32 matches in the tournament over June and July, which is expected to draw 150,000 fans to Uptown Charlotte over the course of the week.

“We’re proud to bring another world-class entertainment event to Charlotte with next summer’s CONMEBOL Copa America 2024 and this selection amplifies Bank of America Stadium as a leading venue for event organizers across the globe,” Tepper Sports & Entertainment Chief Venues Officer Caroline Wright said. “We look forward to continuing to add marquee events outside of the Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC to our calendar at Bank of America Stadium as it continues to serve as a community asset for the Carolinas.”

 

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